Lease Units Like A Pro with Today’s Technology

Theresa Bradley-Banta

Whether you’re an experienced property owner or you’ve just invested in your first multifamily dwelling, knowing how to lease units is imperative. It’s time to step into the 21st century! Today’s tenants aren’t looking for slow, outdated methods. Instead, make sure that you have the right technology to make leasing a snap for your multifamily dwelling.

Make yourself available

Managing an apartment complex or other multifamily property isn’t a 9-5 proposition. In order to lease units like a pro you need to be available to answer questions, schedule tours, and make contact with potential tenants. Tenants often look for new apartments when they aren’t at work, rather than during traditional office hours. They might check things out on their commute, or they might sit down for a few minutes at lunchtime.

Whether you answer the phones yourself or use an alternative, potential tenants need to be able to reach you. Try using a call center or conversational assistant to ensure that there’s always someone on call.

Make contact convenient through texting

Many people today simply don’t have time to talk on the phone, nor do they want to wait until it’s convenient to, say, step out of the office and make a phone call. Others find phone conversations anxiety-provoking, especially if they struggle to hear you over ambient noise. Make sure you’re willing to text, especially the small details! This simple step can reduce anxiety and make it easier for potential tenants to connect with you at any time, no matter where they are.

Put together a fantastic website

In the digital age, being able to find your listing is critical. You can’t afford to just market your apartment complex by throwing an ad in the paper. This is not an effective way to lease units. Instead, put together a fantastic, responsive website, including all the right elements:

A responsive, mobile-friendly design. Remember, you never know when people are going to look for vacancies in your apartment complex, and the majority of internet traffic is now mobile. If your website isn’t mobile responsive, you’ll be missing out on both potential renters and search engine ranking.

Automated pricing. People are looking for all the information in one place–and that includes what it’s going to cost them to rent your apartment. Without pricing information, they will turn to another option.

Key information. What are potential renters looking for when they visit your website? Include all the right information so that they can clearly see everything they want to know about your apartment:

Apartment and community amenities. What’s nearby? Do you offer a swimming pool? Green space? A gym? Make sure you talk up all the important details of your complex.

Tons of photos and floor plans. Let potential renters get a good idea of what they’re considering when they look at your multifamily dwelling.

Neighborhood, community, and local merchant information. Where do your residents do their grocery shopping? What activities do they enjoy? Is there a park nearby? Talk up the community so that renters can see what they’re getting into no matter where they are when they check out that information.

Online and self-guided property tours. Let prospective renters walk through the apartments as though they’re there.

Full disclosure information. Provide access to rent, fees, deposits, utilities, and anything else your tenants might need to know. This may save you a lot of time down the road, since it will prevent renters from needing to ask questions and increase the odds that you’ll get renters who are genuinely interested in your vacant unit.

Lead generation through Google and ILSs is vitally important. You need to be able to find potential renters who are ready to choose your property–and a great website will help you get there. With a poor website, on the other hand, you may struggle to get noticed, and that in turn can decrease your chances of successfully leasing units.

Beyond the lead: Making those conversions

Once you’ve caught your leads through a great website and marketing strategy, make sure you’re taking the right steps to convert them to renters with the following:

Property and individual unit amenities. Depending on your price range and your market, you need to offer amenities that will help your complex stand out. Don’t just be another face in the crowd; instead, look for ways to offer bonuses to your renters, whether that means a laundry complex, a swimming pool, or a community space where members of your community can come together.

Curb appeal. What does the apartment complex look like when people first walk up? Is it genuinely appealing to potential renters? Visual appeal matters, especially as potential renters are forming their first impressions.

A team that’s trained to listen. Your team needs to know what renters want, how to give it to them, and how to offer a fantastic customer service experience.

Great online reviews. Managing your reviews is a critical point in the leasing and lead generation process. Bad reviews can kill your leads! Ask current and past tenants, especially happy ones, for reviews. Issue regular surveys to get a better idea of what tenants like and dislike. This simple step can go a long way toward helping you lease units, keep your tenants happy and your reviews good.

Are you ready to dive in and manage leasing in your multifamily dwelling? Contact us today to learn how we can help!

Theresa Bradley-Banta writes about investing in real estate while avoiding the pitfalls that plague many new investors. She is a 2017 PropTech Top 100 Influencer and winner of 14 American and International real estate awards for her website and real estate investing programs. As featured on: The Equifax Finance Blog, AOL’s Daily Finance, Scotsman Guide, The Best Real Estate Investing Advice Ever Show, Stevie Awards Blog, Rental Housing Journal, and Investors Beat among others.